Stimulated processes in sodium vapour in the presence of molecular buffer gas systems

The influence of hydrocarbon compounds such as methane, ethane and ethylene on collision-induced amplified emission in sodium vapour has been investigated. The intensity dependence of the stimulated resonant emission and stimulated Raman effects on the buffer gas and sodium vapour pressures and the intensity of the excitation radiation has been obtained. The dependence of the stimulated resonant emission bandwidth on the buffer gas pressure has also been measured. It is shown that saturated hydrocarbon molecules can be used as an efficient buffer gas for the generation of stimulated emission in other alkali atoms such as rubidium and caesium.